Apparatus for controlling oil wells



May 30, 1933. H. c. OTIS 1 APPARATU S FOR CONTROLLING OIL WELLS Filed Nov. 2a. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I. a 4%)}. 2 m n zrv/ 7 4 fi A 7 May 30,.1933. H. c. OTIS 1 1 APPARATUS FOR CONTRdLLING OIL WELLS Filed Nov. 26,1932 2 She ets-She et' 2 obtain Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATESHERBERT C. OTIS, OF SHREVEPOBT, LOUISIANA APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OILWELLS Application filed November 28, 1932. Serial No. 844,515.

This invention relates to apparatus for controllin the flow of oilwells, and more particular y to an apparatus controlhng wells in whichthe flow must be periodically 5 terminated.

In practically all such wells a stage is reached in which, after beingclosed at the surface, the use of some outside agency such as swabbingor the injection of alr or gas 1s 0 necessary to start the flow. Whenthe well is closed in at the surface, the fluid levels within andwithout the tubing of the well tend to equalize, leaving a certainvolume of gas in the upper end of the tubmg and of the casing underpressure. The depth. and

pressure of this column of. gas is dependent upon the gas-oil ratio ofthe producing sand, the bottom hole pressure, "and several otherfactors. I

When a surface tubing valve is opened on a well of this ;;character, thegas above the fluid level within the tubing escapes and the weight ofthe column of oil in the tubing is thus made less than the efiectiveweight of the oil outside the tubing and between the tubing and easing,since the oil inside the tubing is no longer subject to the of the gasformerly trapped above 1t, while that outside thetubing remains subjectto the pressure of'the trapped gas. The level of fluid in the tubing,consequently, rises to an extent dependent upon the amount and pressureof the gas which was released. This change of level may be, and in manycircumstances is, suflicien't to cause the well to kick off and commenceflow. When, however, bottom hole pressures have been lowered to acertain extent, the impetus se-. 40 cured by this change of fluid levelis not sufiicient to cause the well to begin flowing, necessitatingexternal assistance to start flow. Such a condition will, obviously, 01:1 our earlier in a well in which the gas-to-oil ratio of the producingzone is relatively low.

' An important object ofthis invention is the provision of anarrangement whereby a relativel great fluid level change may be when thewell is opened, even ressure though the bottom hole pressure be low orthe gas-topil ratio is low.

A further object of the invention is the provision in an apparatus ofthis character of an arrangement whereby the flow instead of being cutofi at the surface is cut off at or near the bottom of the well and thecut-off apparatus is so constructed that it may be readilymanipulatedfrom the upper end of the tubing.

A further and more specific object of the invention is the arrangementof a construction such that a valve controlling flow through the tubingmay be actuated by a relatively light weight, with the result that 5this 'weightmay be readily controlled from the upper end of thetubing byuse of a small reel'and a light wire from which the weight is suspended.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of aconstruction in which the controlling weight likewise serves to controlthe effective size of an orifice through which oil enters the lower endof the tubing.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein, for the'purposeof illustration, I haveshown a preferred embodiment of my invention andwherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing appaso ratus constructed inaccordance with my invention in position in the well; Y

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view a modification of the chokeconstruction;

F'g. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on line5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 shows amodified arrangement in which the weight carries the valve;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View showing a modification of thestructure shown in Figs.'1 to 6, wherein the means for controlling theeffective diameter of the bean is carried by the valve;

gig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 8; an

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the structure shown in Fig. 7, in whichthe valve is showing 86 carried by the choke instead of by the Weight.Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates the casing ofa well; 11, the tubing of the well;12, a choke. arranged adjacentthe bottom of the tubin including anorificed bean 13; 14, a va ve for controlling flow through the orificeof the bean; and 15, the weight for controlling the position of thevalve 14. Weight 15, for reasons hereinafter appearing, is relativelylight, and is supported by a piano wire or other suitable flexiblesupport 16 leading to a reel 17 disthe passage of fluid.

posed at the upper end of the tubing.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the lower end ofthe orifice of the bean terminates in a ground seat 18 for coaction withvalve 14, which is arranged below the orifice. The valve 14 has a wingedguide 19 co-acting with the walls of a guiding tube and the valve isconstantly urged upwardly by alight spring 20 extending between asuitable stop in the guiding tube and the lower end of the valve.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the choke construction ,is removable and includes atubular barrel 21 exteriorly equipped with packing means 22 and withanchoring slips 23. The orificed bean 13 is disposed at the upper end ofthe barrel and is, for a purpose presently to appear, arranged with itsupper surface slightly below such upper end.

i In 3, the choke is in the form of a nipple 24, the upper end of whichis integrally'constructed to form the orificed bean 13. n thisconstruction, the upper surface of the bean is recessed as indicated at25 for the same urpose. In the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, the barrelwill, obviously, pliovide the necessary tubular guide for the valve 14.In the construction of Fig. 3, an inserted tube 26 performs thisfunction. A

- adaptable for use in tubing of different diameters. The lower end ofthe vane-bearing portions is downwardly tapered, as indicated at 31, andis socketed for the reception of a in 32. The upper end of the weight issuita 1y adapted as at 33 for connection with the wire line 16.

In use of apparatus of this character, the choke assembly is either runinto or set in the tubing at the desired depth. If the well has a highfluid level in the tubing, the fluid above the choke is then swabbed outand the weight 15 is lowered-through the tubin to a position a few feetabove the choke. hen it is desired to start flow, the weight assem blyis lowered the few remaining feet and pin 32 enteringthrough the ori ceof the bean and seating in the socket in the upper end of valve 14,forces the valve downwardly from its seat, permitting flow to start.When suflicient oil has been run, the weight assembly is raised asuflicient distance to insure proper seating of valve 14. Obviously, inan arrangement of this character the effective delivery of fluid throughthe bean orifice is controlled by the diameter of this orifice and thediameter of pin 32, so that if it is desired to vary the bean orifice,it is simply necessary to elevate weight 15 and change the size of thepin employed thereon. In the form shown in .Fig. 7, the valve seat 18a:of the choke is formed at the upper end thereof and the pin 32 of theweight assembly is substituted for by a valve 14a. In a construction ofthis character, the lowering of weight. 15 will, obviously, seal againstflow, and raising the weight will permit the flow to begin. In thisconstruc-,

tion, the orifice of the bean is, of course, unchangeable withoutreplacing the choke, and for this reason it is preferred that thechokejbe of the removable type illustrated. It will be-noted that withthe arrangement disclosed, there will be .a very considerable pressuredifferential across the choke, but

since the diameter of the orifice is small a very light weight willserve to balance this pressure differential and enable the valve to beunseated. For example, if the orifice be diameter and there is adifferential ofa thousand pounds'per squareinch across the choke, atwenty-eight pound weight will suffice. It is, for this reason, possibleto employ'a very light rig such as a small reel and a piano wlre leaderfor-supporting theweight even though this weight be given a high safetyfactor.

In Figx8, the structure of Figs. 1 to 6 is modified to the extent thatthe element controlling the, effective diameter of the bean is carriedby the-valve rather than the weight. As shown in this figure, theupwardly seats ing valve 34 is normally maintained in .en-

gagement with its seat by spring35. The valve has a stem 36 extendingupwardly through the aperture 37 of the bean 38. The

'upper end o f -;t he bean aperture is reduced to stem 36 constitutes ameans for determining the effective diameter of the bean orifice 37 andactuation from weight 15 is obtained by means of a pin 42 on the lowerend of this weight, such pin preferably being of greater diameter thanthe stem 36 so that when the weight is lowered it will seat upon theupper end of bean 38 and there will, accordingly, be no strain whateveron the weight-supporting mechanism.

In Fig. 10, the structure or Fig. 7 is modified to the extent that thevalve 43 which coacts with a seat at the upper' end of the orifice ofbean 44 is carried by the bean. As shown, the bean is extended andprovided with a guide 45 for the valve, and a pin 46 prevents the forceof liquid passing through the bean orifice from displacing the valve totoo great an extent. In'this structure, the weight 15 will, of course,be provided with a pin 47 to engage the upper end of the valve andmaintain the valve against its seat.

I am aware that it has been previously proposed to control the flow ofwells through use of apparatus including a choke and a vavle' disposedat the bottom of the well and controlling flow through the choke. In allof such apparatuses, control depended upon either the rotation of rodsor tubing,

or the raising or lowering of such rods.

Attempts have been made to control the,

efi'ective diameter of the choke orifice by similar means; since,however, a bottom hole choke is very sensitive to small diameterchanges, all of these attempts have failed for lack of practicallyoperative= equipment. With the arrangement illustrated, I may use eithera choke having a fixed and relatively small bean diameter, or a chokewhere the bean diameter is of relatively large size as compared to thedesired diameter in combination with a vertically removable elementwhich controls the final and efl'ectual diameter of the bean orificeduring flowing of the well.

It will be obvious that, employing an apparatus of this character, asubstantial difference in level can be obtained between the fluid in thetubing and that in the casing. This is due to the fact that the spacewithin the tubing is occupied to a large extent by gas which entered thetubing in solution with the oil. 1If, accordingly, the bottom valve isclosed while the upper end of the line is open, the gas will expand to amuchlarger volume leaving what oil is not ejected in the tubing. Inexperiments conducted with apparatus of this character in a well wherethe choke was disposed 1650 feet below the normal closed fluid level inthe well, there was only approximately 400 feet of oil in the well abovethe choke following a shut-down. This provides a fluid difi'erentiationof approximately 1250 feet to assist in starting the flow. The wellin'which the experiments were carried out had been in operation afterdrilling for five months and at that time had never made a barrel of oilwithout first being swabbed. With an installation as described above,the well flows its permissible production each day when the bottom holevalve is open.

As "the construction illustrated is capable of considerable modificationwithout in any manner departing from'the spirit of the invention, I donot wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except-ashereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of oilwells, a choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean, the apertureof which is formed at one end with a valve seat, a vertically movablevalve to co-act with said seat, a weight in said tubing above saidchoke, and means at the upper end of the tubing for supporting andvertically moving the weight, vertical movement of said weightcontrolling seating and unseating of the valve.

2. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of oilwells, a choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean,

the aperture of which is formed at one end with a valve seat, avertically movable valve to co-act with said seat, a weight in said'tubing above said choke, and means at the upper end of the tubing forsupporting and vertically moving the weight, vertical movement of saidweight controlling seating and unseating of the valve, the valve beingcarried by said weight, the valve seat being at the upper end of theaperture of the bean.

3. In a paratus for controlling the flow through t e tubing of oilwells, a choke in said tubing having an apertured bean, the aperture ofwhich is formed at its upper end with a valve seat, a weight in saidtubing above the choke, means at the upper end of the tubing forsupporting and vertically moving. the weight, and a valve 'on the weightfor co-action with said seat.

4. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a: choke removably mounted in said tubing adjacent the lower endthereof, an apertured bean in said choke, said bean having a valve seatat one end of the aperture thereof, a weight I through the tubing of anoil well, a choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean, theaperture of said'bean being formed at its lower end as a valve seat, anormally seated valve co-acting with said seat and means tosimultaneously displace said valve from the seat and reduce theeffective d1- ameter of the aperture of the bean.

7. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean, the apertureof said bean being formed at its lower end as a valve seat, a normallyseated valve co-acting with said seat and means to simultaneouslydisplace said valvefrom the seat and reduce the 'efiective diameter ofthe aperture of the bean comprising a pin insertable through theaperture to engage said valve.

8. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a choke in said tubing and having. an apertured bean, the apertureof said bean being formed at its lower end as a valve seat, a normallyseated valve co-acting with said seat, means to simultaneously displacesaid valve from the seat and reduce the effective diameter of theaperture of the bean comprising a pin insertable through the aperture toengage said valve, and means operable from the upper end of the tubingfor controlling the operation of said pin.'

9. In apparatus for. controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean, the apertureof said bean being formed at its lower end as a valve seat, a normallyseated valve co-acting with said seat, means j J flow through the tubingof an oil well, a

to simultaneously displace said valve from the seat and reduce theeffective diameter of';-th e aperture of the bean comprising apininsertable. through the aperture to engage said valve, and a weightmovable in and guided by the tubing upon which said pin is mounted. p a

. 10. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean, the apertureof said bean being formed at its lower end as a valve seat, a normallyseated valve co-acting with said seat, means to simultaneously displace'said valve from the seat and reduce the effective diameter of theaperture of the bean comprising a pin insertablethrough the aperture toengage said valve, a weight movable in and guided by the tubing uponwhich said pin is mounted, and means at the upper end of v the tubingfor vertically shifting said weight.

11. In apparatus for controlling fiow through "the tubing of oil wells,a choke in said tubing having an apertured bean, the

aperture of the bean being formed at oneend with a valve seat, avertically movable valveto co-act with. said seat, a weight in saidtubing above said choke and. removable from the tubing independently ofthechoke, and means at'the upper end of the tubing for supporting andvertically moving the weight, vertical movement of said weightcontrolling seating and unseating of the valve.

12. In apparatus for controlling flow through the tubing of oil wells, achoke in said tubing having an apertured bean, the aperture of the beanbeing formed at one end with a valve seat, a vertically movable valve toco-act with said seat, a weight in said tubing above said choke andremovable from the tubing independently of the choke, and means at theupper end of the tubing for'supporting and vertically moving the weight,vertical movement of said weight controlling seating and unseatin'g ofthe valve, the valve being carried by said weight,.the valve seat beingat the upper end of the aperture of the bean.

13. In apparatus for controlling flow through the tubing of oil wells, achoke in said tubing having an apertured bean, the aperture of the beanbeing formed at one end with a valve seat, a vertically movable valve toco-act with' said seat, a weight in said tubing above said choke andremovable from the tubing independently of the choke,

choke in said tubing and having an apertured bean, the aperture of saidbean being formed at its lower end 'as a valve seat, a normally seatedvalve co-acting with said seat, and means to unseat said valve includinga weight in the tubing above the choke and a member extending throughthe aperture of the bean to thereby control the effective diameter ofsaid aperture.

15. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a choke in said tubing and having anapertured bean, the apertureof said bean being formed at its lower end as a valve seat, a normallyseated valve co-acting with-said 1 seat, and means to unseat said valveincluding a weight in the tubing above the choke and a member extendingthrough the aper ture of the bean to thereby control the effectivediameter of said aperture, said weight being removable from the tubingina dependent of the choke.

16. In apparatus for controlling the flow through the tubing of an oilwell, a choke in said tubin having an apertured bean, the apertured beanbeing formed at its lower end with a valve seat, a valve co-acting withsaid seat and normally spring-held thereagainst, a valve stem extendingthrough and projecting above the apertured bean, and a weight in thetubing above said choke to unseat the valve.

17. In a paratus. for controlling the flow throug the tubing of oilWells, a choke 1 in said tubing and having an apertured bean, theaperture of which is formed at one end with a valve seat, a verticallymovable valve to co-act with said seat, a weight in said tubing abovesaid choke, and means at the upper end of the tubing for supporting andvertically moving the weight, vertical movement of said weightcontrolling 2 seating and unseating of the valve, the

valve being carried by a guide formed above the aperture, the .valveseat being disposed at the upper end of the aperture of the can.

15 HERBERT ooris.

